Developer- and Publisher-specific Articles: Gears of War

The Coalition’s latest entry in the Gears of War series has launched for console and PC. The fourth release kicks off a new storyline, set decades after Gears of War 3. Players will reunite with old favorites as they lead a younger cast of fighters against a new threat. Horde mode also returns with Horde 3.0. As an Xbox Play Anywhere title, console and PC players are capable of playing against and with one another across all modes, including versus multiplayer in private matches. Both versions are included with a single purchase.

Players who purchased Gears of War 4: Ultimate Edition can now being their four-day head start on the campaign. Ultimate Edition also comes with the Season Pass. The pass includes Vintage JD and two Vintage weapon skins, a Developer Playlist that includes new maps and modes before official release, a 17-pack Starter Airdrop with weapons and skins, and access to all 24 downloadable maps as they become available for private play on dedicated servers.

Gears of War fans who missed the recent livestream for Gears of War 4 can check out a recently uploaded archive. In addition to plenty of gameplay, the four-hour-long event also features the reveal of an upcoming film with Universal Studios and Bluegrass Films, the debut of Killer Mike and EI-P as in-game characters, a behind-the-scenes look at an art exhibit, and some fans in cosplay.

Gamers looking forward to Gears of War 4 are getting the chance to check out the prologue today. Microsoft has released the first 20 minutes, with gameplay that details the 30 years of events that set the game’s main campaign in motion, from the Pendulum Wars to Emergence Day. They also sent word about Gears of War 4: Live, a livestream that will be broadcast at 5 p.m. (CST) on October 5 on Beam, Xbox.com (along on the 360 and One), Youtube, Twitch, and Facebook. Paul Scheer will host a panel including Larry Hryb and several Internet personalities, and feature interviews with studio head Rod Fergusson.

After yesterday’s reveal of Gears of War 4’s launch trailer, Microsoft sent word that the game has officially gone gold. Now that the gold master disc has been sent off to the various replication facilities, players have only to count down the remaining days until its release on October 11. The sequel supports cross-play, cross-save, and cross-buy between Windows 10 PC and Xbox One, and will feature the return of Horde mode. The launch trailer has been re-posted below, for good measure.

Gears of War 4’s release date nears, and to ensure that everyone’s properly motivated to grab their guns and find some cover, The Coalition has released its launch trailer. The video features some new footage, highlighting the latest generation of heroes as well as the new threat, the Swarm. A batch of new screenshots was also released and has been posted beneath the trailer.

Run the Jewels is teaming up with The Coalition to debut their latest track Panther Like a Panther, from their upcoming album Run the Jewels 3, in a new trailer for Gears of War 4. The video spotlights Horde 3.0. The new version will once again have a team of players facing off against waves of increasingly difficult enemies, but now with the addition of abilities, fortifications via a deployable base, and five classes: Engineer, Heavy, Scout, Sniper, and Soldier. Horde 3.0 will be playable at Pax West this weekend, with special guests battling it out in the First to Fifty, beginning at 6:30 p.m. (PDT) in the Pax Arena. Run the Jewels will be on hand, along with series co-creator Rod Fergusson, at Bait on Saturday from 2 to 3 p.m., and will appear as characters in multiplayer.

Microsoft has released a new trailer and some gameplay footage from Gears of War 4. The windfall is due to San Diego Comic-Con, where players can spend some hands-on time with a playable demo that features a portion of the campaign and the Forge map in multiplayer at Xbox Booth #100. In addition, there will be a “Creators, Characters and Cast” panel in Center Room 6BCF on July 21 (2:15 p.m.-3:15 p.m.) with studio head Rod Fergusson, Liam McIntyre (Fenix), and others. An Encore with a special guest will take place on Friday at Nerd HQ (5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.). There will also be physical Gear Packs with cards that unlock in-game customization items, also at Booth #100 and Nerd HQ, and several figures and replicas on display. For those eying the new S model, a themed 2 TB bundle was announced for $449, which will include a themed controller, vertical stand, downloadable copy of Gears 4, early access (Oct. 7), and digital bonuses. The digital content includes the Vintage VIP Pack, six Gears Pack, permanent access to future maps for private games, and more.

Microsoft had plenty to show at their conference, including gameplay reveals of Rare’s Pirate-themed multiplayer-entric Sea of Thieves and the co-op-friendly Forza Horizon 3. Other trailers posted below include announcement videos for Dead Rising 4, State of Decay 2, and We Happy Few, plus more from Scalebound, ReCore, and others. Phantom Dust is still a go, too (woo!). Play Anywhere was prominent, which further integrates Xbox One and Windows 10 by offering cross-buy support and same-day release for MS-published titles. The biggest reveals were the Xbox One S and Project Scorpio. The Xbox One S will be 40 percent smaller, come in white, have an internal power supply, support 4K Ultra HD for Blu-rays and streaming content, support High Dynamic Range (HDR) for games, and come with an updated controller. Kinect adapters will be required, but they will be free from Microsoft. The systems will roll out August 2016 for $299 (500 GB), $349 (1 TB), and $399 (limited launch edition 2 TB). Project Scorpio will be arriving holiday 2017, and is being described as “the most powerful console ever created” with support for 4K gaming and VR thanks to its “6 teraflops of GPU.” All Xbox One games will work on all Xbox One systems.

MS has sent word that the Standard and Ultimate editions of Gears of War 4 are up for pre-order. Additionally, a special bonus was announced for those who get in early. Gamers who pre-order either version will receive the Vintage Del Gear Pack, a set that includes a Vintage Del character model, emblem, two Vintage weapon skins, and a Vintage Del bounty. The standard edition costs $59.99 and the Ultimate Edition runs $99.99, which includes early access and the season pass. The pass, which includes 24 DLC maps and six Gear Packs, is detailed below along with the remaining Ultimate Edition goodies.